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Exactly what you need right now

I was sitting here, fingers poised over the keyboard, wondering what I was going to say to you, and let me tell you, let’s talk about what all of Toronto is talking about. The heat. Dudes, it is so hot. It is record breaking hot, and despite being really muggy, it’s the driest summer we’ve had in 75 years. The only really significant rain was the stuff that pelted us during the rally. (Go figure.) Everything, people, plants, trees, dogs… everything is wilting, and it’s all we can talk about. This morning it was hotter in Toronto than in Mumbai – and it’s not like they’re having a cold snap. As I type this, at the end of the day with the worst behind us, it is 43 here, with the humidex. (For my American friends, that’s 109 Fahrenheit.) Today on the un-airconditioned subway (it was at least 40 degrees in there) the guy next to me softly swore under his breath, and then apologized. “I’m just… so hot.” he said, and I nodded sympathetically. It’s so hot that it’s impossible to get anywhere looking good. Opening the door to go out is like walking into a wall of heat, and by the time you get to where you’re going, you’re soaked.

As we approach each other, to shake hands or embrace, it’s preceded by a pause, then a statement – “Sorry, I’m pretty sweaty” and then nine times out of ten the mission is aborted, or you do hug, and both of you feel bad about the outcome. Today I was walking up the hill to the house (Amanda said “Oh, Mum, what were you thinking?”) and I stopped at a red light, and stood there with the sun beating down on me, and I felt a river of sweat run from the nape of my neck all the way down my body and into my sandal, and I realized that if I stood there for a few more minutes, I’d be standing in a puddle. (Yes, I realize as I type, that the astute among you will have worked out that if sweat can make it from my neck to my toes in a straight shot, then I wasn’t wearing underclothes. Knitters, my pets. If you can give me one decent reason based on proper good sense why a woman wearing a dress shouldn’t abandon underthings in these kinds of temperatures, I’ll grudgingly put them back on, but until that time, I’ll be embracing one of the advantages of the humble skirt.)

It is so hot, that my mother, out for a walk, found herself by the lake, and overcome by all of it, walked straight in, clothes and all. She has, she said, zero regrets.

All of this makes it especially awesome that I have fixed and finished a pair of mittens.* Warm, comforting mittens, that despite their beauty, make me hotter to even look at them, and I cannot conceive the emotional state I’d be in if I tried them on.

Unbelievable humidity her in the Atlanta area pushes the 92 to 106 (feels like). It’s more humid than I can recall in the past. Went to a yarn shop today, and looked at several booklets of patterns and the thought of a sweater made be even more uncomfortable to the point that I asked the woman behind me “Am I sweating?”. The a/c could not accommodate the number of women shopping for wool in August. I do feel for you, Stephanie. I cannot imagine being as far north and having the temps being comparable to ours..it’s those ‘dog days’ of August that has us imagining weather cool enough to wear such pretty mittens!

All I can say is welcome to a southern Arizona summer! Except we get to that 109 naturally without having to add the humidity. lol Oh, then lots of times we have a brisk breeze that makes it feel like we are living in a convection oven. Oh, then on top of that, our monsoon starts. Ain’t it fun?

I got to admit I love living in Phoenix, AZ. 109-115 of desert heat is nothing in comparison to Kansas’ 100-109 with all that humidity. Plus cold here is 32 not 0 with a 30 mile-an-hour wind.

Woven 100% cotton is the answer to your clothing questions and a parasol. It’s actually cooler for me to wear undergarments because they absorb the sweat and I don’t develop heat rash. Don’t forget lots of cold water; being dehydrated is a killer!

Same here in Kingston, where the grass is brown, the trees are stressed and losing their leaves, and very little knitting is going on, in spite of having air conditioning (OK, our house is up for sale and I’m exhausted maintaining an unnatural state of tidiness and cleanliness, so that’s playing into the non-knitting state of things). I read that it’s our driest summer since 1888 and our hottest since 1939, when incidentally, my grandmother taught all the neighbourhood children to knit so they wouldn’t run around and have heat stroke. The squares were made into a blanket that was meant to go to the Red Cross, but somehow never made it there and ended up at our cottage (and was still in use when I was growing up).

The wall of heat and humidity often reminds me of wise words: sometimes the only way out is through. Embrace where you are while visualizing where you would rather be. 😀 When summertime sweating has become a full-time occupation, I spend time imagining October weather.

In Toronto, our psychological melting point seems to be 30 degrees Celsius (86 F). We measure and count days over 30 C. So far this summer there have been 15, according to my favourite weatherman. In 2005, there were close to 25. So, despite how it feels, our short memories can’t remember that far back. Our communal mantra is: “It’s not the heat; it’s the humidity.” I’m wilting. It’s supposed to rain tomorrow.

Yep…I feel your pain. Summers were like that every year where I grew up. It’s been pretty hot where my Better Half & I live now. I keep watching Halloween movies & buy apples for us in hopes to invoke Fall overnight. So far no luck. But a desperate attempt to keep knitting through the heat has resulted in a lacey little cotton bookmark as a birthday gift for a friend. You’re brave to’ve finished those pretty mittens!

The mittens are lovely and I am tempted to purchase the book…of course I could look on my shelf to see if I have it already?

It finally rained here in Pembroke today, it has cooled off to around 24 C or maybe 75 and I have long sleeves on. Yesterday it was over 40 C or over 100 and we melted..then drank beer. It was the first day that it was literally too hot to knit.

Every lady knows her limits. Sans undergarments on hot days is pretty much the way to go.

I’m from the bootheel of Missouri (right next to the Mississippi in Cotton country) where temps and humidity in August make it unbearable. I went to school in Northern Florida. The trick is to embrace the sweating and heat. Don’t try to look good or not sweat. Once you’ve come to terms with the fact that you can’t escape it, you’ll learn to love it!

Totally hear you.
Was requested by brother-in-law for a pair of mittens for my mother-in-law, who is feeling the cold very much at night. Brushed aside all WIPs in favour of casting on that evening. Continued the next day, when it was 26C (it’s winter here, right?!) …. wondering what the heck I was doing! Fortunately we returned to our regularly-scheduled temperatures the following morning with 8C. The mittens are being very much appreciated <3 And they're pretty boring by comparison! I have serious mitten inferiority complex! (But these were emergency mittens, made up on the fly and knocked 'em out in about 8 hours. )

My deepest sympathies. I understand the impulse that sent your mother into the lake; that rivulet of sweat running down one’s spine, scalp, cleavage, and other less mentionable places that results from simply walking outside. Wishing you weather cool enough to don those gorgeous mittens in good time.

Also: I know what sets off Startitis. Sudden change in weather. When it was cold again suddenly after that oh-so-brief preview of Spring, I had a nasty, nasty accident in an online shopping cart and have four new projects ready to cast on, over and above the two, no three projects already in progress.

I just binge-watched GoT for the 2nd time and own a knitting bag and a t-shirt that say “Winter is Coming – Knit Faster!” hahahaha On the temperature front, Boise ID has been remarkably cool this summer. By cool, I mean a week of high 80s (fahrenheit), followed by mid to high 90s….no 100+ days. I guess they all went to Toronto. sorry

Here in Manitoba it is just the opposite! We are so so sooooo wet. I braved the weather yesterday and went into the garden for cucumbers – came out soaking wet and filthy. The beans rotted, tomatoes aren’t producing…the whole thing is a dismal failure. I don’t even want to talk about the crops (we farm) This is the first day in weeks that it hasn’t rained!
The temp hasn’t been much better. Even in my menopausal state, it was so cool last night that even under my blankie and flannel nightigown that I wear only in the dead of winter, my hands were almost too cold to knit!

Here in New Zealand we are having a hotter-than-usual winter – meaning most days in my area rate one-layer-of-wool instead of two-or-more-layers-of-wool – and the rain just keeps pouring down regardless.
I’d ask if you wanted to swap, but 43*C? I grew up six degrees south of the equator, and it never got that hot. Not even close.
Overheated knitters is why the Almighty invented cotton – or, as the Germans call it, tree-wool.

Please, what is the pink-grey-white yarn you are knitting with in your flamingo skirt on IG?
In Portland, OR, DH and I gave up and put the electric blanket back on the bed two nights ago because even he, who appreciates cool nights, was freezing. (SInce then, of course, it’s been over 90 F during the day. But not humid!) And still way cool at night.

The mittens are perfection. I can’t imagine the heat you are feeling. 95 degrees Fahrenheit is about the max I can handle before I start to see spots. I recommend walking with an umbrella. You look silly it’s true, but it’s shade and maybe you can invoke the rain gods to have mercy on you.

I have so much sympathy. As a Canadian transplanted to Sydeny, Australia I was shocked to realise that 30+ is the norm from October to May, with a few weeks of 40+ thrown in for good, brain melting measure.

The hottest day (44 degrees, 98% humidity but they don’t tell you the humidex value mostly because I think we’d all give up and flee in terror) our thermometer in the shade on our deck read 47 degrees. Our bedroom was 53. I cried.

And that is the day that I too decided who needs unmentionables in heat like that?!

I’m wishing a break in humidity for my fellow Southern Ontarians, and some cooler weather soon!!!!

And that is why, in large part, I moved away from Toronto and rarely go home to visit in the summer. I start melting at 25 degrees C without the humidity! Mittens look beautiful. I’m going to have to try them sometime.

I feel you. We’ve had more than 30 days over 100F and the past couple of days we’ve had a heat index of 112F. I have to wear pants, close toed shoes, and a cotton/poly blend navy polo shirt to work, and my parent wonder why I’m driving 4 blocks to get there. Even the word “knitting” makes me feel hotter.

I’ll believe the temps anywhere. This is getting ridiculous… or maybe it’s past that into enough already. Today we had a very brief hard rainfall. The grass is still crunchy and brownish but my weeds are lush.

I love the mittens. Winter is coming. Autumn can’t make it here soon enough for me.

Steph, there is no one on earth who could persuade you to wear more than you did. Personally I have sweated that much and was wearing underclothes. It’s not pretty. I’m going to start taking a leaf from your book.

I work in an old, up insulated retail establishment. After 6 hours of work I had nothing left, no energy no enthusiasm just heat rash and damp blotting.
On a better topic:
2 cars/10 women/4days/7 yarn shops: that was last weekend! The pleasure from that trip has kept me going all week!!
PS: I envy your knitting speed!

Us women are so lucky to be able to wear skirts. That little breeze, either natural or from flapping your skirt sure helps in the right places. You inspire me to go commando too (what guys call it, who have more to lose than we do).

I think it’s crazy that y’all are getting Florida weather. Yup, I know all about walking into a wall of heat. No air conditioning, except for two window units, so knitting doesn’t happen much until the weather cools down. Someone told me that going outside is like stepping into someone’s mouth, and that pretty much sums it up. Hello from the opposite end of North America!

I wear skirts year-round – I’m just not comfortable in pants. But I also cannot stand the feeling of my sweaty inner thighs rubbing together. I wear yoga/athletic shorts under my skirts to eliminate that problem and it actually makes me feel cooler. Same principle applies to the bra – without some material there to prevent the skin-to-skin contact, the underboob area just feels way too sweaty and nasty.

Yikes! It’s been in the 80s and humid in Kansas, which is actually blissful because usually it’s over 100 and humid–weather you shouldn’t have to experience firsthand in Canada! Hang in there and drink all the cold drinks!

Come down to Sydney it’s a pleasant 20 degrees. Winter abandoned us this year there has been no frost no below zero mornings and I only put my coat on twice. We had six months of heat with a few weeks of 40+ just to add to the fun. Looks like the same this year. I second the advice of going to the movies lots of air con in there. Also if you cover the windows during the day the house will be cooler.

In times like these, all I can say is Praise the Lord for air con!!! I was in a full, oozing sweat today just sitting on a chair having lunch with some friends. Moving as little as possible in a supposedly air conditioned café did nothing to ward off the “help, I’m stuck in a plastic bag” feeling. And yet, I am loathe to voice a complaint because we all know the bitter cold we cursed a few short months ago…. which only awaits us in a few short months to come… sigh

I understand your pain! Sydney, Australia routinely gets to that temperature in summer. We have made it a rule for the last 3 years to go on a long holiday to somewhere in the northern hemisphere during summer just to give ourselves a break. Also, we own about 10 ice cube trays (there are only 2 of us)!

If you have to venture outside, take an umbrella and plenty of water! I totally understand wearing no reg grundies. Good on your mum! We used to play under the sprinkler when we were kids. Wet clothes help! I’m an Aussie transplant in North Carolina and the humidity makes me want to cry! It feels worse than the drier heat in Perth. Those mittens are absolutely beautiful. Keep knitting small things, so the yarn isn’t touching you and keep reminding yourself that the crazy will be over soon.

The humidity has been oppressive this summer. I have lived in North Carolina all my life, and I still have to grit my teeth and hope my glasses don’t fog up when I walk outside. Usually at night it will cool down so at least the mornings are bearable. Lately its been 85F at 11pm and perhaps 77 and REALLY humid at 5am. No relief overnight.

There’s a PGA golf tournament going on this week. I don’t envy the golfers or the staff. The TV folks are being super enthusiastic about how great the event is in order to encourage the locals to show up at the venues. Ha, not going to happen.

I did order some sock yarn this week –early Christmas in August 🙂 , This will be my first shot at self patterning yarn. I looked up the hints (last fall?) about how to match the socks. We will see if I can figure it out. It would be easier if it were TWO 50 gram skeins and not ONE 100gr skein. I guess I will have to break down and purchase a scale to weigh yarn!

We are leaving for Toronto on Tuesday, from Finland where weve probably had zero +30 days all summer. Its pretty much fall here. +11 and rain… How are we going to manage? 😀 I bet my toddler will go crazy… You dont happen to have any event coming up in TO? Would be quite insanely amazing to meet u while I am there. We will be there until the beginning of September.

I love the mittens, what a lovely gift (I’d be thrilled) and you even went all type A and pulled it out and did it right. I would have too. I’m leaving TO and heading for the Gatineau’s and from what I see it’s not been much cooler there. Lord save me the cottage has no AC but it does have a Lake I’m going to be your Mother for a week.

It’s nice to see someone else with the ‘i hate summer’ mantra going on. Your silver cloud…this is unusual weather for your neck of the woods. I, sadly, have no immediate silver lining—these temps and 98% humidity are the norm here for summers. I HATE SUMMER. Actually, there is a silver lining (isn’t there always?)….it makes autumn and winter so much more appreciated!! The countdown is on.

well, the only reason i can give you for undies in the summer (or as my daughter recently named them: unexpected clothes) is that the rivulets of sweat won’t tickle you where you can’t politely itch. they are kind of like wearing a bandana – soakes up the sweat and then keeps you cool.

It is hot here in Central New York State. I would invite you to visit but the AC just died. Yes at 03:00 Friday August 12, the dog woke me up panting in my face. She wanted to warn me that the AC was indeed broken and she was warm. LOL. I put her out and changed the furnace filter. She did her business and the furnace filter did NOTHING. The central AC unit has pooped itself and Monday is the earliest it can be replaced. #itisagoodthingihaveafan .

I have to wear underwear public especially under skirts & dresses. In high school a friend wore a long skirt and no gaunch well she dropped something in the hall and rocked slightly forward then stood up. Well she unknowingly stepped on her skirt – when she stood up her skirt stayed around her ankles. So there she was standing in the middle of the hall in a school of 600 students wearing nothing but a t-shirt & a skirt around her ankles. You can’t unsee that!! Nor forget it!

Sweltery here in Kentucky too. I joked that my tomatoes and peppers are roasting right on the vine. I see you now have a matching pair of mittens. Hoping you kept the odd one and will make its mate too

I sympathize deeply and agree with the ‘umbrella’ tips from above. I was recently in 95-100 F for a few weeks and an umbrella helped – sort of created my own weather system under there. The mittens are beautiful, i love the deep blue color.

Oh, man. I am currently waiting at the Toronto airport for my flight home, and, dang. Turns out Toronto doesn’t do AC as much as many other North American cities (I’m told you all don’t usually need it), and I don’t think I’ve ever sweat so much in a week! Pro tip: make sure your Airbnb has AC!!! Window fans just don’t cut it in these temps. Also holding a grudge against the transit system for making us walk 6 blocks in 100F + heat, hauling all our suitcases, because the train station wasn’t allowing motorized traffic, i.e. buses (this confuses me no end). As always, though, Toronto was friendly and interesting. And the ROM may be my favorite museum in the world. Baby pandas at the zoo also a favorite, not least because we got to wait in air conditioning for an hour to see them, rather than the 106F heat. I did get to knit my socks a bit on the streetcars, but I found that wool only absorbs so much sweat before it gets unpleasant.

Oh I so feel your pain. I was visiting your fair city for the first time arriving early Friday and we could hardly do what was on our list. I am from Chicago so I am aware of heat, but man I could feel it rising from the sidewalk. I cannot cross Toronto off my bucket list as I didn’t get to Romni Wools or do much of anything else.

…and as always, when the snow is up to our noses and everything is on GIANT ice block and the wind is blowing so hard that we can’t open the front door, we will..want today. Same cycle. When it’s hot, we want winter, when it’s cold, well,you know.
Patience Iago…patience!

In the low 90s (F) here in coastal Rhode Island, with about 110% humidity which equals about..137 degrees? I don’t know, but when it got to 86 F in the house (no AC) I did the only thing we are meant to do at that temperature –go swimming in the ocean. Lovely.

It really is an odd – and seriously unpleasant – summer this year; here in the fruit belt, lack of water has led to disappointingly small cherries, peaches, etc. Not that I feel any urge even just to freeze fruit; pushing down on my cherry-pitter handle brought on a flood of sweat like I’d climbed a mountain! (No a/c) I won’t like winter, but a long autumn? Mmmmmm, now that would lead to some real knitting! And yes, those are gorgeous gloves!

Eek! They’re mitts, not gloves! I knew it and wrote mitts, but then my brain said gloves and I changed it! Hours later, as I lay thrashing around in bed, all of a sudden I got an image of those lovely mitts and said, “Ack, not gloves, what was I thinking?!?” Folks: DRINK LOTS OF FLUIDS!!!

And of course, this was the week we chose to do a vacation to toronto (from Washington DC). What were we thinking?!!!! It’s not like there’s much air conditioning in toronto, since you all only need it a few weeks a year. When I heard it was hotter in Toronto than in Cuba I about lost it. We had a good time, despite the heat. May you have a cool bath and a cold beer and feel better. Hope the thunderstorm last night cooled things off a bit. We’re home now…

Those temperatures had better not hit us here when we get summer in Christchurch, NZ. No aircon except in the malls for most people and I don’t cope well with high temperatures (or low ones for that matter).
Currently wearing a handspun, handknitted Aran weight jersey on a relatively warm winter’s day.

I wish I could send you our rain, and I am definitely hoping that the good weather that used to follow me around as I moved returns when I move to the western NY region this fall – and that it reaches as far as you when it does. “Ugh” in empathy, from the just-as-hot Southern U.S.

(Also, if someone knocked you over, would you feel embarrassed at your lack of undergarments? Or if you had to be rushed to the hospital by cute emergency medical professionals? If not, then I have no other arguments worthy of the attempt. 🙂 )

I work in long term care – in the kitchen. We are in a very old building that does not have A/C in the kitchen. Three huge ovens, heating equipment and a dishwasher that puts out more heat and humidity than you could ever imagine. You are soaked through within a few minutes. Thank goodness for the walk-in fridge. Just when you think you can be away from the heat you get to stand behind a steam table to serve, oh and then back into the kitchen after to wash the dishes again. After an eight hour shift it feels like heaven to walk outside to go home – how twisted is that?
Overheated in Ontario

When you turned over the mittens to get a picture of the stripey backs and thumbs, I got a flashback to– remember this?http://www.yarnharlot.ca/2005/01/_choices/
Nostalgia!
Beautiful mittens. I really need to get the courage to try some myself, one of these days.

I have never been so thankful for air conditioning as I have the past couple of weeks (and I run cold, too!). It’s been up in the 90s (F), and with the humidity factored in, it’s felt like close to 100. Without AC, I’d be pretty miserable and completely unable to knit or spin, which wouldn’t help me keep a hold on my sanity.

For the record, when you’ve wearing undergarments and that sweat thing happens? It just pools in your underwear and it’s probably even more unpleasant than dripping down to your feet.

It’s really dry here too. Fortunately we got an inch of rain over Friday-Saturday to take the edge off. But it’s the first rain in a month, I swear. The corn fields were looking lousy. My small pasture looks fried and my sheep complain. A farmer friend let me load my car with bolting broccoli plants so the sheep could eat some green leaves. Hay will be scarce because the second and third cuts have been tiny. But your mittens are stunning! Did you really rip back that one to make the color scheme the same for both? Wow! Anyway, they are gorgeous!

Knitting and watching the Olympics here. My husband went to Florida and Texas for business last week – we were hotter and more unpleasant here in New Jersey than either of those places, which is HIGHLY unusual. And there’s drought in the North and flooding in the South (my sister lives in Lousisiana).

I just finished a baby sweater for a baby born a few days ago – it came out a bit big, but given the weather, it’s going to be a while before they need it anyway.

Late to the party but want to put my 2 cents in as far as underwear goes: I was born and raised in the tropics and always felt more comfortable wearing bra and panties, especially after my boobs started heading south. This is disgusting but if I did not wear the bra all sorts of fungi would start growing under my boobs no matter how dry I tried to keep the under-boobage area.

It makes me sad that the world is heating up so much. Here, right smack in the middle of Missouri, it’s been pretty unbearable. We drove to the restaurant for dinner tonight and I doubt it’s more than a quarter mile away, but it was honestly too hot and humid to walk. I loathe winter, but I am definitely looking forward to fall!

LOVE the mittens!!! By the time Yule comes, you’ll be glad you made them, I’m sure.

Can’t believe you fixed them! I have made “pairs” like that, to maximize available yarn “efficiency”. I’d have brazenend it out. My deepest sympathy on your summer heat plight. I’ll tough it ou at 90+ in Minnesota. “Under” garments are “over” rated.

We’ve been having really hot and humid days in NYC, but ever since I’ve followed you, I am able to remind myself that “at least I’m not in Toronto.” (I can say this twice a year!) As another responder stated “your weather is wack!” The mittens are lovely!

Here in NW Missouri, we usually get very humid Summer’s . This year it has not only been humid but VERY hot. 110F at one point. Usually the worst is a few weeks during July but it started the end of May and has barely let up. I’ve taken to going with my boys to the pool and hanging out. I thought I could just sit and put my feet in but at one point spent the whole time in the water up to my neck. Didn’t even mind when these same boys, ok teenagers (14 and 17) decided to jump in next to me doing what they call a cannon ball and getting me entirely wet. It felt so good. LOL Yes, I used my kids as an excuse to throw on a swimsuit and doggy paddle around the pool with a bunch of kids. Most parents just dump their kids off, not me. I’m a responsible parent. 😉

I laughed right out loud about your mom and I may have even slow clapped her! If you can get away with no undergarments, more power to you! What I would give to be able to go without a bra some days. Living in Virginia, sometimes I forget that air conditioning is not a global amenity…so I’m SO sorry for those of you without AC at this time of year, because it seems everyone is melting. Way to go on the mittens! I’m about to knit a wool hat, why? Because Winter IS coming!

So, the Christmas box. Does it get filled with random knit things and then you decide who gets what or do you have a list of items that have been requested? Are Christmas presents for others things that you want to knit or things that others have asked you to knit?

Sorry about your “surface of the sun” temperatures. We were ridiculously stupid planning our long-awaited to Disney World for the last week of July. Unbelievably hot, and it had been much the same at home in Springfield, Illinois. We have gotten somewhat of a break from the soaring temperatures, but last Friday we got slammed with more than 5 inches of rain in two hours. Caused massive flash flooding all over town–Google “Illinois State Fair Flooding” for some crazy photos–and caused me to take an extra long time to get home. Winter is coming indeed!

I live in Minnesota and we are “blessed” with weather extremes. When it is really hot, I just tell myself it is not 20 or 30 below zero (or -28 or -34 C). When it is so cold you nose freezes shut when you breath, which happens regularly in January and February.

I was in Costa Rica for a week in May and the humidity on top of 90 + Fahrenheit weather was so bad that I realized one day, while sitting still during a meditation, that my sports bra was dripping. My sports bra was dripping. What the heck would have been happening without the sports bra? Nevertheless, long live commando!! = )

My husband and I moved last week. I was afraid the moving crew was going to have a group coronary or heat stroke. They were drinking lots of water, but they were also lugging furniture and boxes to the truck for hours, and then lugging them in to my new house. Some friends came to help me pack stuff in my knitting room, and they were gobsmacked at the size of my yarn stash. (None of them are knitters.) A knitter would have glanced at the yarn pile and asked where I keep my big stash. By the way, I was asked to click or touch the scissors, very appropriate since I’ve spent the last three days ripping open boxes.

This morning on the radio they said the temp would drop “back into the 90s” today. It’s been something like 115 with the heat index. Right now it “feels like” 105. It’s just miserable. (I live in Washington, D.C.)

Ah, the notion of relativity: here in the Pacific Northwest (near Seattle), our weather folks are warning us about the “heat that’s here to stay for awhile” and I swore just like the guy next to you on the subway. But I have to add that what they’re talking about are temps in the 80’s(F), in some places “even” low 90’s.
I apologize for being such a wuss…

Where I live the summer weather patterns seem to mirror the winter before. I just found a report that last February was the coldest February on record. It seems that this may be mirroring those conditions. What say you?

I do not remember the source, however I am remembering reading something about a knitting culture – Latvian, maybe? – where it was thought that knitting mittens during warm weather was a good thing, because the heat of the day would be knit into the mitten. Am I completely imagining this?

Regardless, your mittens are beautiful… and will be warm and lovely just when they are needed. If I could wear mittens like that every day of winter, I am sure that even an Edmonton winter would not seem long.

Also, the blog Laponne has an excellent summary of Latvian mitten books!

There is a reason why women in hot climates wear muumuus or caftans: they are loose, allowing for airflow top to bottom. Shorts, skirts, and dresses with waistbands or belts aren’t as cool; shifts or sundresses are cooler alternatives.

My sister in law just reminded me of an old Girl Scout song: I wear my pink pajamas in the Summer when it’s hot
I wear my flannel nightie in the Winter when it’s not
But sometimes in the Springtime and sometimes in the Fall
I slip between my sheets with nothing on at all
Glory Glory Halleluiah, Glory Glory What’s it to Ya?
Balmy breezes blowin’ through ya
With NOTHING ON AT ALL

Although I can’t say it got that hot in Toledo, Ohio, it has still been incredibly hot, so I know how you feel. I see that you ripped back the mittens so they matched. 🙂 I am working on a pair of mittens as well…smaller knitting projects for heat like this…but I must say, yours are simply lovely. Makes me want to buy another knitting book. 😉

I am seconding the comment regarding 100% cotton woven fabric. Linen is also very good. Loose, long clothing is often better than shorts/shorter skirts/dresses.

I grew up in a place where summer temps are from 110 to the very low 120s during the hottest part. And it often doesn’t cool off lower than the 90s at night. Asphalt will stick to the soles of your shoes. And for about 1 to 1 1/2 months it’s extremely humid. Breathing gets difficult.

Listen to the folks who say to stay hydrated! I used to be quite happy into the low 110s, if it was dry. After getting dehydrated and ending up very ill with heat exhaustion several years ago, I now feel like a hot-weather wimp.

My mum and I have been decorating my lounge this week. House was at 30 today. Sanding last week I could be rung out – painting is no better! Currently stripping into washing machine daily and trying not to sweat onto fresh walls!

For what it’s worth, if you happen to wear cotton underwear and it’s hot, and you happen to be traveling with your kid to Oxford, MS, and it’s July or August?? Yeah, sweat can run right from the top of your head, down your back, THROUGH the undergarments and down your leg.